Yissachar and Zevulun the Perfect Pair

This a relevant message for living with the times. The Iyaar and Sivan Duo that got it right!

At the end of Moses’ life, he blessed all the tribes of Israel. To Yissachar and Zevulun he says: Rejoin, Zevulun in your departure, and Yissachar, in your tents.” Rashi tells us Yissachar and Zevulun entered into a partnership. Zevulun would dwell at the seashore and go out in ships, to trade and make a profit. He would thereby provide food for Yissachar, who would, in turn, sit and occupy himself with the study of Torah.

Understanding the implications behind this arrangement requires a deep understanding of the importance of their relationship. The first relationship during the creation of the world is the relationship between the spiritual and the physical.

The account of the world’s creation begins with the letter Bet, Beresheit. ” The gematria of Bet is two. Two represent duality and plurality. Everything in creation was created in pairs & this offers us the key to perfection. - Rabbi Aaron L Raskin. Letters of Light.

The agreement between Yissachar and Zevulun is one of the most influential relationships for many reasons but first and foremost the honesty and respect that is the foundation of the success of this agreement. Being honest with oneself and tuning into the gifts you have is one of the greatest things one can do. We all have different tikkunim and paths. We are created to work together. That is exactly what Yissachar and Zevulun did. The success was in regard to the tremendous respect they both had for each other.

The three lines of the Bet often represent the three pillars the world stands on: Torah, Charity, and Prayer. When Yissachar prioritizes Torah and Zevulun prioritizes Charity it appears that the quality of prayer from both Yissachar and Zevulun is uplifted to the highest peaks.

Interesting to note Yissachar corresponds to the month of Iyaar and Zevulun to the month of Sivan. One might think that the Torah scholar Yissachar would correspond to the month of Sivan, in which the Torah was given but he was not. Sivan corresponds to Zevulun due to his happiness he had when splitting his material wealth with Yissachar. This is what sustains constant Torah learning and it is in fact his merit. When Moshe blessed Zevulun he told him to be happy as you go out to work. The Torah teaches us that we need to collect the elevated sparks locked in our material reality, and that was the special trademark of the tribe of Zevulun. Zevulun's relationship to Torah is most powerful within the material world.

It is said that Yisaachar was the master of the “secret” of the Jewish calendar which is primarily a lunar calendar, as it said of him: “Knowers of understanding the time.” His basic nature is contemplative and he serves as the “advisor” to his brethren, the tribes of Israel. Thus, it should come to little surprise that the Yisaachar type has made their way back to an official advisory position in recent days. After all It was Yehoshua a devoted student of Torah and a brilliant military commander who conquered the land. The Talmud compares Yehoshua to the moon. This represents a bottom-up approach to Godly service; the idea of transforming and elevating the physical world into a “moon”, a vessel for godly light.

The main thing missing from this picture of the Yissachar-Zevulun agreement in modern times is respect for the other which ultimately affects the quality of our prayers. It’s explained that the tragedy of Rabbi Akiva’s students occurred because “they didn’t treat one another with proper respect.” Hence, this was considered to be a very different and unique disaster.

There is no pill or injection to help us learn how to reframe the disrespectful thoughts that separate us. It will take tremendous effort, determination, and willpower to choose the path of brotherhood and sisterhood. If any nation can do this, It is the nation of Israel. The very structure of the Bet has three lines and one opening. The opening is an invitation for completion or danger. The key here is to strengthen the three pillars of Torah, Charity, and Prayer. May there be a renewed harmony with the Yissachar and Zevulun relationship and may our prayers be strengthened by such a sweet act of authentic human love (ahavat chinam.) Kabbalistic teachings emphasize the importance of aligning one's thoughts and emotions with the divine will and cultivating a deep sense of awe and kavod for the sacred. This involves developing an awareness of the interconnectedness of all things and recognizing the divine spark within oneself and others.

Shely Esses-Strom, LMFT